Tata Steel Launches ’Ananta Quest’ – A One-Of-A-Kind Competition for Persons With Disabilities

In an unwavering commitment to fostering inclusivity and diversity, Tata Steel has announced the launch of "Ananta Quest" - a pioneering case study competition specifically designed for students with disabilities. This initiative aims to identify, nurture, and integrate talented individuals from the Persons with Disabilities (PwD) community into the workforce, contributing to a more inclusive corporate landscape.

The Ananta Quest platform aims to provide a platform for final-year students and freshers with disabilities to showcase their skills and ideas, bridging the gap between academia and industry. The competition spans both technical and business domains, offering participants an opportunity to engage in live internships and potentially secure job placements within Tata Steel.

Atrayee Sanyal, Vice President, Human Resource Management, Tata Steel, said: "At Tata Steel, we firmly believe in the limitless potential of each individual, recognising that diversity is not just a goal but a true strength of the enterprise. We are committed to providing an inclusive environment where every identity is respected, every voice is heard, and unique talents flourish. Ananta Quest is our pioneering initiative to integrate talented individuals from the PwD community into the expanding manufacturing sector"

Ananta Quest is open to students pursuing MBA or B.Tech from Indian Institutes with full-time courses approved by AICTE/UGC. Teams comprising a maximum of two members, including students from pre-Final Year, Final Year, and the Batch of 2023, can register. Students can choose between two tracks – Business Track and Technical Track.

This Competition will consist of three key rounds: the Executive Summary, the Pre-Finale, and the Grand Finale. Teams will have the option to choose a case from 2 tracks and submit their ideas/solutions for any one case during the Executive Summary round. The tracks and their themes will be shared after the registration process is complete.

Successful teams will progress to the detailed Pre-Finale round, where they provide a nuanced approach to their chosen case. Finally, selected teams will move to the Grand Finale, presenting detailed proposals to Tata Steel’s Senior Management. The evaluation will be based on parameters such as Introduction, Analysis of the problem statement, Solution & Benefit, and Business Impact.

Ananta Quest will offer awards to acknowledge the exceptional talent within the Persons with Disabilities (PwD) community. The National Winner stands to receive ₹50,000 Prize Money, with the First and Second National runners-up receiving ₹30,000 and ₹20,000 Prize Money, respectively. The winners will also be granted a paid internship, including a monthly stipend of ₹30,000. All the participants will receive Certificate of participation and also stand a chance to get Pre-Placement Offers (PPOs) for full-time roles based on their performance during the internship.

Only persons with disabilities, as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016, are eligible to participate. Registration for Ananta Quest commenced on December 26, 2023 and will conclude on January 16, 2024. For more information and to register, candidates can visit https://anantaquest.tatasteel.atypicaladvantage.in/#home.

The Tata Steel workplace is built on merit and diversity. The Company has made conscious efforts to build an equitable environment and a diverse leadership team. Across the globe, the teams have a healthy mix of not just gender and age, but also culture, ethnicity, and a myriad of other such aspects. Tata Steel also actively works against stereotypical biases to encourage a culture of meritocracy, with MOSAIC – the Company’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiative established in 2015 for Indian operations – leading this vision.

About Tata Steel

• Tata Steel group is among the top global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 35 million tonnes per annum.
• It is one of the world’s most geographically diversified steel producers, with operations and commercial presence across the world.
• The group recorded a consolidated turnover of ~US$30.3 billion in the financial year ending March 31, 2023.
• A Great Place to Work-Certified^TM organisation, Tata Steel Limited, together with its subsidiaries, associates, and joint ventures, is spread across five continents with an employee base of over 77,000.
• Tata Steel has announced its major sustainability objectives including Net Zero Carbon by 2045, Net Zero Water consumption by 2030, improving Ambient Air Quality and No Net loss in Biodiversity by 2030.
• The Company has been on a multi-year digital-enabled business transformation journey intending to be the leader in ‘Digital Steel making by 2025’. The Company has received the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse recognition for its Jamshedpur, Kalinganagar and IJmuiden Plants.
• Tata Steel aspires to have 25% diverse workforce by 2025. The Company has been recognised with the World Economic Forum’s Global Diversity Equity & Inclusion Lighthouse 2023.
• The Company has been a part of the DJSI Emerging Markets Index since 2012 and has been consistently ranked amongst top 10 steel companies in the DJSI Corporate Sustainability Assessment since 2016.
• Tata Steel’s Jamshedpur Plant is India’s first site to receive ResponsibleSteel^TM Certification.
• Received Prime Minister’s Trophy for the best performing integrated steel plant for 2016-17, 2023 Steel Sustainability Champion recognition from worldsteel for six years in a row, 2022 ‘Supplier Engagement Leader’ recognition by CDP, Top performer in Iron and Steel sector in Dun & Bradstreet’s India’s top 500 companies 2022, No. 1 brand in India in the Mining and Metals industry in Top 100 brand rankings for 2023 by Brand Finance, and ‘Most Ethical Company’ award 2021 from Ethisphere Institute.
• Received 2023 ERM (Enterprise Risk Management) Award of Distinction at the RIMS ERM Conference 2023, ‘Masters of Risk’ - Metals & Mining Sector recognition at The India Risk Management Awards for the seventh consecutive year, and Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting FY20 from ICAI, among several others.